Beneath The Makeup
by RainsBlood
Summary: Amber and her friends move out to Gotham for a good time, to get away from all the troubles at home. But when they are faced with a monster who has made them his next prey. Will they be able to withstand the challenges together? Read / Review! :D
1. Chapter 1

Amanda slapped Amber upside the head with a spatula. Amber cowered in pain and kicked Amanda. "What the hell Amanda?!"

"I just felt like doing that." she stuck her tongue out. Amber lunged at her, but she ran. Chasing Amanda was one of the many sports they had had in their old hometown.

Bruce walked in with the groceries, and got pushed over. "Amber! I told you that if you can't control yourself you can't stay here. You'll break something. You ALWAYS break something." he shook his head in displeasure.

The game was over, Amber had lost because she fell over a chair, Amanda laughed. "Alright Bruce, we'll be careful. We promise."

Bruce gave her a look of suspicion. Whenever she looked like an angel, it wasn't good. "You mean it? Or are you doing one of those mind tricks again?"

"I mean it."

"Alright." she studied his face, hoping he'd believe her. Then another thought came into her head. "Bruce when's the Fundraiser ball? Me and my friends still need to go shopping for dresses."

He sighed, "It's tomorrow night. Get them together and tomorrow morning."

Amanda shot Amber a 'I'm not liking this' look. It took forever to get Kayleigh in a dress. She loved taking her sweet time when dress shopping. "Bruce, can we do it tonight? Kayleigh takes forever-"

"No. Absolutely not. I don't want you girls on the streets of Gotham after dark.."

"Bruce, please? Rachel can come with us!"

"Amber, Rachel has a life, unlike you and you're-"

Amber dialed Rachel's number. It rung one time before she picked up, "Hey you go dress shopping with me and my friends tonight?" she stood there nodding and grinning. "Thanks." She hung up the phone and gave Bruce a smug look. "She needs to look for a dress too."

"Okay. But PLEASE be careful. Call me in a couple of hours. I know you guys are 18 now and out of school-"

"We understand Bruce." she let out a soft chuckle. "Bye." and they ran out the door dialing numbers.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: I know the Joker hasn't shown up yet, but he will in the next chapter about the Fundraiser ball. I promise. **

"See? I told you it looks to big!" Kayleigh squealed in the most high pitched voice she could manage. Amber had already gotten her dress, it was black with silver sparkles on the rims. "Amber? Are you even listening? Where's Amanda? And Jamie?"

"I KNOW Jamie's waiting outside. You know how much she hates to touch dresses, much less WEAR them. As for Amanda, I have no clue." Kayleigh gave a little sigh and turned around to face the mirror again. "Well. I need to find a different dress. This one's too big."

Amber rolled her eyes and walked behind Kayleigh to the dress rack. As she was walking out of the dressing room she noticed a pair of black boots blocking her way. It was Amanda. "Wow. You..look like a gypsy." It was true. The dress was purple and had a corset with black lace and purple torso. Her unnaturally red hair fell straight across her shoulders like a bloody waterfall, and her black make up didn't help ease the spookiness. "Or, like, a dark mistress. I dunno. It looks alright."

Amanda gave Amber a dark glare and strode off to the dressing room. Kayleigh stood there in awe, while Jamie, in her khaki pants and red sweater, looked indifferent. "Kayleigh stop gaping and let's get this crap and go. I'm ready to watch some Deathnote."

"Yeah. I guess so." Kayleigh shrugged. She turned around and ran into the changing room.

"Hey, Amber. Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure. What's up?"

"Have you heard about the Joker? The guy that's been destroying Gotham for the past couple of months?"

"I think so. Why?"

"Well…" she muttered to herself. But she seemed to reconcile with herself and spat, " Nothing. Forget I ever said it."

"Okay? Jamie-"

"Case closed, okay?" Jamie snapped.

"Fine." Amber was frustrated. Jamie always did this. She always kept things from them. But then again, who doesn't have secrets? " I'll go find Rachel. Then we can leave. Tell Amanda and Kayleigh we'll be leaving soon."

"Alright." Jamie's arms were crossed, and her face was emotionless as she said this.

Thirty minutes later they were all packed in Rachel's Camry with "Just Dance" pumped up on the radio. All four girls were at a loss. Amber was frustrated with Jamie, and Jamie with her. Amanda wasn't really mad at anyone, she just sat there pretending not to hear the muffled growls from Jamie's mouth. Kayleigh was fuming that they couldn't stay longer. She couldn't find THE dress. So, she got the best dress she could find. One with gold wrapped around it like a blanket, and a dark gold necklace complimentary.

One silent car ride later, Kayleigh and Jamie were dropped off at their apartment and Amber and Amanda were back at home. Amanda went up to her room and locked the door. Amber went to the couch, laid down, and cried.


	3. Chapter 3

Amber and Amanda were rushing around the penthouse trying to fix their hair and put on their dresses at the same time. Bruce was sitting on the couch, ready. He rolled his eyes when he heard one of them fall down the stairs. He turned on the news. His eyes went wide when he processed what was happening on the screen. "AMBER!" he screamed. She came running down the stairs, hair a mess. "Yeah?" He pointed to the tv. She looked. There was a man with bright green hair and a purple suit taking over the camera. She could see a man tied up in the background. The man was laughing maniacally and threw off the hostage's fake Batman mask. "Are you the real Batman?"

"No!"

"..Then who do you dress like him!"

Amber gripped the armchair. "Bruce. Is that the Joker?"

He sighed, "Yes. This is the maniac."

She couldn't breathe. He was so…..creepy. But fascinating. Of course she couldn't tell Bruce this. "Well, let me go get dressed and we can leave, hm?"

"Yeah." his eyes were still glued to the screen.

She hurried up the stairs and straight to the bathroom to fix her hair. "Amanda, we have to hurry. I have a feeling something's about to go down."

Amanda laughed, "How do you know this, Miss Foreteller?"

"I dunno, I just DO." she pulled up her long black hair in strands to pin back. " My gut feeling is usually right. Besides, Bruce isn't looking so hot, not after he saw the Joker on tv."

"WHAT? That guy who's been-"

"The same"

She pondered for a moment on her answer. "You think he might be coming tonight?"

"Maybe. But I can't tell Bruce. He'll start freaking out, and we won't go. I mean, what if I'm wrong?"

Amanda pulled her red hair into a bun, "You're usually not."

At the Fundraiser, Bruce was looking a lot better than he had earlier. She was happier. She went with Kayleigh and Jamie to the other side of the room to get some punch.

` Jamie was scowling at Kayleigh's insistence that she wear a silvery dress with a cut up the side. "Oh, come on Jamie! You would have looked-"

"Beautiful. I know. I don't care. I think I'll stick with my khakis and sweater for now."

Kayleigh let out a groan and poured some punch. "Oh, shoot! Amber can we go get my-"

A shot rang out. The Joker was standing in the middle of the ballroom floor. "Good evening, ladies and ..gentlemen. We are tonight's entertainment!"

Amber looked everywhere for Bruce, but he was nowhere to be found. "Kayleigh, we all need to get out of here." she whispered.

"How? Jump out the window?"

"Well that's an option."

"Oh, Amber-"

"Why, hello beautiful." The Joker said, smoothing his hair out.

Amber was looking all around her. She was all alone. Where were her friends? " Leave me alone." was all she could choke out.

He chuckled. "'Leave me alone?' Is that really all you have to say?" he shook his head, "that's pathetic, Amber."

She froze. "How do you know my name?"

"I do my homework. What about you? Do you know who I am?"

"You're a freak."

"That's not really an answer."

"Joker." she said, annoyed.

He smiled. He gripped her face in her hands, "You wanna know how I got these scars?"

" LEAVE HER ALONE!" Kayleigh screamed running across the floor. She tripped of course. Graceful as always.

The Joker looked at her like she was crazy. "Who are you?"

"If you must know-"

"Don't!" Amber cried. She kicked Joker in the crotch.

"A feisty one….I like that!"

The next thing she knew they were running down various hallways trying to get out. "Where's Jamie?"

"In the car. She's driving. Oh, and Amanda is in there too."

"Why'd you guys leave me?" Amber murmured.

Kayleigh looked sympathetic, but soon turned into a motherly voice. "We were getting my purse, then we heard gunshots. I could have sworn you were with me. But then again I don't notice much.."

Amber grabbed Kayleigh's hand and they ran down the hallway out the exit, with the clowns on their heels.


End file.
